My thoughts on the Phillies season.

The Phillies make it four wins in a row as they rout the Reds, 22-1, increasing their lead to two games in the East.

The Phils tie a franchise record by scoring ten runs in the first inning while in route to a 22-1 rout of the Reds, one of the most lop-sided scores in the team’s long history. The Phils’ lead in the National League East is now at two games over the Marlins, as they lose to the Giants.

After Phils’ starter Cole Hamels had an easy first inning, the Phils’ batters went to work on Reds’ starter Johnny Cueto. After Jimmy Rollins worked a walk, Shane Victorino gave the Phils a quick 2-0 lead as he belt Cueto’s ninth pitch into the right field seats for a two-run home run, his sixth home run of the season, scoring Rollins in front of him. After Chase Utley is called out on strike for the first out of the inning, and Ryan Howard then lined out to the third baseman, 5-unassisted, Jayson Werth continued the inning with a single. The next batter, Greg Dobbs, made it 4-0 Phils as he hits a two-run shot of his own, also to right field, his fifth home run of the year, knocking in Werth. After Pedro Feliz was hit by the pitch and then Carlos Ruiz was walked, moving Feliz up to second base, Hamels helped his own cause by hitting a two-run double, scoring both Feliz and Ruiz, giving the Phils a 6-0 lead, as the Phils batted around. Rollins, up for the second time in the inning, hits an RBI double of his own, scoring Hamels, and making it 7-0 Phils. After Victorino was walked, Reds’ manager Dusty Baker had seen enough, as he came to the mound and took out Cueto, replacing him with Daniel Ray Herrera. Utley quickly greeted Herrera with a three-run shot to right center field, his nineteenth home run of the season, knocking in both Rollins and Victorino, giving the Phils a 10-0 lead, tying the Phillies’ franchise record for the most runs scored in the first inning, which had been done three previous times, with the most recent one occurring on June 2, 2002, against the Expos. The inning finally ended with Howard being called out on strikes for the inning’s final out.

The Reds would get onto the scoreboard in the second as Jonny Gomes hits a lead-off home run, his fifth home run of the year, making it a 10-1 Phils’ lead. But that would be it for the Reds, as Hamels kept them quiet during the seven innings that he would pitch, going after them, as he gave up only three hits, while walking none and striking out only two batters. Meanwhile, the Phils just kept on scoring. They would make it 11-1 in their half of the second as, with two men on, and one out, Ruiz hits an RBI single, knocking in Dobbs, who had earlier singled, and had gone to second on Feliz’s single, while seconding Feliz up to second base. The Phils increased their lead to 12-1 in the third as, with runners on the corners, and one man out, Werth hits a sacrifice fly for the inning’s second out, knocking in Victorino, who had earlier hit a ground-rule double, and had gone to third, when Howard hit in a force play, 3-6, as Utley, who had just walked, was wiped out at second base, while Howard was safe at first. The Phils then proceeded to really pile it on in the fourth. With two men out, Hamels got on base with a single. Rollins followed with a walk, sending Hamels on to second base. Victorino then followed with an RBI double, knocking in Hamels, giving the Phils a 13-1 lead, while sending Rollins up to third. Utley then hits an RBI infield single as he beats out Reds’ third baseman Edwin Encarnacion’s throw to first, which allowed Rollins to score, making it a 14-1 Phils’ lead, while Victornio stopped at third. Utley is then replaced at first base by pinch runner Eric Bruntlett, giving Utley some rest. Howard then followed with an RBI single to right, which scored Victorino, making it a 15-1 Phils’ lead, before it became 16-1 as Bruntlett would score on Reds’ right fielder Jay Bruce’s fielding error, which also allowed Howard to move to second, before he is in turn replaced by pinch runner John Mayberry, Jr., so that he can also get some rest.

The score would stay 16-1, as Hamels, and then Tyler Walker kept the Reds under control, while the Reds’ bullpen would keep the Phils off of the board until the bottom of the eighth inning. With one man out, pinch hitter Matt Stairs would get on base with a walk. Rollins would follow with a single, sending Stairs up to second base. Victorino followed with a single, scoring Stairs, making it a 17-1 Phils’ lead, while moving Rollins up to second base. Bruntlett followed him with an RBI double, knocking in Rollins, giving the Phils an 18-1 lead, while Victorino would stop at third. Mayberry then walked, loading the bases. Werth would then clear the bases with a grand slam home run, his seventeenth home run of the year, sending home Victorino, Bruntlett and Mayberry before him, as he gave the Phils a 22-1 lead, the team’s highest runs total since the 26 runs that they would score against the Mets on June 11, 1985, and the fifth highest runs total in franchise’s history, as well as being the highest numbers of runs that they would score at Citizens Bank Park. This would be the final score as Scott Eyre, coming off of the 15-days disabled list, would pitch a scoreless ninth.

Cole Hamels got the win, as he pitched the team’s fifth straight quality start, and the fourth for the present home stand, as he went seven innings, giving up just one run on three hits, while he struck out two. His record is now 5-5 with an ERA of 4.70. Tyler Walker pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. Scott Eyre pitched a scoreless inning, giving up just two hits, as he struck out two. Johnny Cueto lasted only two-thirds of an inning, giving up nine runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out only one batter. His record is now 8-5 with a 3.45 ERA. Daniel Ray Herrera pitched two and a thirds innings of relief, giving up three runs on five hits and a walk, as he struck out two. Nick Masset pitched an inning, giving up four runs, three of which were earned, on four hits and a walk, as he struck out one. Carlos Fisher and Josh Roenicke would combine for three scoreless innings, giving up only three hits (Fisher (2), Roenicke (1)), while they each struck out two batters. Paul Janish, normally a position player, pitched an inning, giving up six runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out a batter.

The Phils had twenty-one hits in the game, the most hits that they have had in one game so far this year. Shane Victorino and Greg Dobbs leads the team with four hits each, followed by Jimmy Rollins with three hits. Chase Utley, Jayson Werth, and Cole Hamels come next with two hits a piece. Ryan Howard, Pedro Feliz, Carlos Ruiz and Eric Bruntlett have the other four Phils’ hits. The Phils had ten extra-base hits in the game (2B (6), HR (4)) as Victorino was a triple short of hitting the cycle. Werth knocked in the most runs with five, thanks to his grand slam home run and his earlier sac fly. Victorino and Utley followed with four RBIs each, followed by Dobbs and Hamels with two RBIs a pieces, then by Rollins, Howard, Ruiz and Bruntlett with one RBI each. All of the Phils’ starters had a hit in last night’s game, with each man who had batted in the first, except for Howard, getting a hit that inning. The Phils ended up leaving only six men on base, as they have now won four straight games at home, after coming home from a 3-6 road trip.

The Phillies (43-37, 1st National League East) continued their so far successful home stand with a night game against the Reds (40-41, 4- T National League Central). The game will start at 7:05 pm and will be played at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies will send to the mound J.A. Happ (5-0, 2.96), presently their best starter this season, as he comes off a no-decision against the Braves on July 2, where he pitched seven strong innings, giving up only two runs on seven hits and two walks, as he struck out five, in the Phils’ 5-2 lost. He will be going for his sixth win of the year, and planning to pitch the fifth straight quality start on the home stand. The Reds will counter with Aaron Harang (5-8, 3.86), who is coming off a no-decision against the D-backs on July 3, where he went seven innings, giving up two runs on four hits and three walks, while striking out eighth, in the Reds’ 3-2 win. He will be trying to break a personal four-games losing streak, while hoping that the Phils’ bats will not be as potent as they were last night. The Phils will be shooting for their fifth straight win at home, while trying to take care of business while increasing their lead over the rest of the Eastern Division.

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